Question about regaining RAM

signal34 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-06-2006, 09:03 AM

I have an icon on my Today screen which shows me the amount of RAM that's available for use. Whenever I soft reset, the value starts at around 55%. Whenever I open a program, the percentage drops, as it should, since the program is using RAM.

My problem is that after some hours of use (opening a program here, closing a program there), when I close all open programs, my percentage stays around 20%. I've used Reclaim RAM to try to recapture it, but it always gives me a message that there is none to be reclaimed.

I check my running apps using Memmaid and see that there's nothing out of the ordinary that shouldn't be running.

My questions are:
1. Are there programs I'm possibly using that just don't dump the RAM back to the system like they should after they're closed?

2. Does anyone know of programs other than Reclaim RAM that will actually get back unused RAM?

3. Does anyone know of a list of programs that may be culprits in not dumping RAM back to the system like they should when closed?

Thanks for any and all responses.

**Wideawake** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 06:50 AM

You could try out WIMR aka where is my RAM? it can be downloaded at the freeware site in my sig.

give it a try and see if it works. As for the apps that do this, I have no idea.
~Mike

Garrett · #3 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 12:49 AM

I don't have a way to be 100% sure because I don't have any software that tells how much RAM I have left, it's always seemed to me that when you do Settings > Memory > Close All Programs that you gain performance back.

**Wideawake** · #4 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 12:59 AM

garrett yea that does help, but most ppl run a task manager....r u not?

rlith · #5 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett

I don't have a way to be 100% sure because I don't have any software that tells how much RAM I have left, it's always seemed to me that when you do Settings > Memory > Close All Programs that you gain performance back.

You do gain performance back when you close windows due to releasing CPU load. What is probably happening as happens with most OS's (including PPC os's) is that as programs are running they are creating temp files and what not in memory. Run SKtools autoclean every so often and that will free up ram as well.